Over on one of the other threads I have been in a dialogue with a fellow member about my experiences with the Blaser S2 double rifle. He seems perplexed, even somewhat offended, that I am comfortable using a double rifle in a non-traditional way. Allow me to open that discussion to a broader audience. As a condition setter, let me say that I am taking my S2 on its second trip to Africa - this time to Mozambique with its .375 and 30-06 barrels.
I have other doubles. A couple have claw mounted scopes. All are used traditionally. By that I mean 80 yards and closer with open sights and no farther than 150 meters or so with the scopes. The S2 is another thing entirely.
The S2 uses the Blaser scope mounting system - read very secure and instantly dismountable. Using 300gr .375 TSX's, each barrel shoots MOA groups at 100 meters. The barrels are adjustable, and I have these regulated to converge at 200 meters. I sight the right barrel to be slightly high at 100 meters, and with the 200 meter convergence (remember these are one MOA barrels), I have composite groups no larger than 4-5 inches out to 250 meters. Thus when following a buffalo's tracks, I have a double rifle easily capable of making a shot at a record book kudu out to 250+ meters.
In its 30-06 guize, the rifle shoots less than MOA from each barrel, and I have it set up with the same 200 meter convergence. It is truly a 300m rifle.
In Moz we will initially concentrate on buff. I'll hunt the S2 with the .375 barrels and scope in place. I have the same capabilitie and first shot MOA accuracy as any bolt rifle, and the advantage of a second, almost as accurate, instant second shot. When we switch to plains game, I'll switch to the '06 unless we stumble across something compelling while trailing a buff.
So if I am goring a traditionalists ox, then sorry, but this is a different sort of double rifle. It can be employed in ways that a traditional one can not. I am using it this summer not for nostalgia's sake, but because it seems to be the most efficient tool for the type of hunt I am taking.
I have other doubles. A couple have claw mounted scopes. All are used traditionally. By that I mean 80 yards and closer with open sights and no farther than 150 meters or so with the scopes. The S2 is another thing entirely.
The S2 uses the Blaser scope mounting system - read very secure and instantly dismountable. Using 300gr .375 TSX's, each barrel shoots MOA groups at 100 meters. The barrels are adjustable, and I have these regulated to converge at 200 meters. I sight the right barrel to be slightly high at 100 meters, and with the 200 meter convergence (remember these are one MOA barrels), I have composite groups no larger than 4-5 inches out to 250 meters. Thus when following a buffalo's tracks, I have a double rifle easily capable of making a shot at a record book kudu out to 250+ meters.
In its 30-06 guize, the rifle shoots less than MOA from each barrel, and I have it set up with the same 200 meter convergence. It is truly a 300m rifle.
In Moz we will initially concentrate on buff. I'll hunt the S2 with the .375 barrels and scope in place. I have the same capabilitie and first shot MOA accuracy as any bolt rifle, and the advantage of a second, almost as accurate, instant second shot. When we switch to plains game, I'll switch to the '06 unless we stumble across something compelling while trailing a buff.
So if I am goring a traditionalists ox, then sorry, but this is a different sort of double rifle. It can be employed in ways that a traditional one can not. I am using it this summer not for nostalgia's sake, but because it seems to be the most efficient tool for the type of hunt I am taking.